Clinicopathologic correlation of pigmented epiretinal membranes

We performed clinicopathologic correlation on ten surgically removed pigmented epiretinal membranes causing macular pucker. All cases occurred in eyes with existing retinal holes or tears, including eight cases of macular pucker after previous retinal detachment. These cases probably represented a limited form of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. All membranes contained pigment epithelial cells with polarity, basement membrane, and melanosomes. Cytoplasmic melanin granules accounted for the clinical feature of pigmentation in these eyes.     

Intraportal allogeneic transplantation of the islets of Langerhans cultures in the complex treatment of surgical patients with diabetes mellitus

The article presents results of treatment of 21 patients with a surgical pathology and diabetes mellitus who had intraportal allotransplantation of cultures of islet cells of the pancreas and 316 patients with the similar surgical pathology without such transplantation. It was found that the intraportal introduction of islet cell cultures into the liver can result in an early and considerable drop of the injected insulin dose which is very important in the postoperative period. This method allowed to make the period of treatment at the hospital approximately 15 days shorter.     

Male infertility and its treatment: A review of over 4700 patients treated for male related infertility

Changes in semen parameters are presented for 4708 patients treated for infertility. The largest group comprised patients with oligoasthenozoospermia of various grades (57.7%). Improvement in the seminal state was noted in 70.3%. The percentage of achieved normospermia increased proportionally to the initial semen state. Pregnancy rate also increased proportionally to the initial seminal state. Among the patients' wives 20.4% conceived: 28.2% of these pregnancies had occurred after having achieved normospermia, while in 71.8% the seminal states were still below the accepted normal values.     

Geriatric diabetic nephropathy: an analysis of renal referral in patients age 60 or older

We report a series of 33 consecutive hospitalized geriatric diabetic patients who were referred for evaluation of diabetic nephropathy, defined as proteinuria greater than or equal to 1 g/d (1,000 mg/24 h) or a serum creatinine concentration greater than or equal to 177 mumol/d (greater than or equal to 2 mg/dL). The study population was 60 years old or older (mean age, 68 +/- 6 years), was comprised mainly of women (24 of 33, 72.7%), and was predominantly black (25 of 33, 75.8%). All patients had type II diabetes. A family history of diabetes in parent or sibling was elicited in 24 (72.7%) patients. There were eight patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and 25 with less severe nephropathy (mean proteinuria, 2.7 g/d [2,700 mg/24 h]; mean creatinine clearance, 0.57 mL-s [34 mL/min]). Cardiac disorders were noted in the majority of patients: congestive failure in 20 (60.6%), myocardial infarction in eight (24.2%), and active angina in five (15.2%). Other comorbid diseases were present in both hemodialysis patients and the subset of nondialyzed azotemic-proteinuric patients, and consisted of peripheral neuropathy in 31 (93.9%), gastroparesis in 16 (48.5%), retinopathy in 28 (84.8%), and legal blindness in 11 (33%). We conclude that geriatric diabetic nephropathy in type II diabetes is similar in presentation and severity of comorbid extrarenal complications to the syndrome described in younger adults. This inference must be tempered by both the small size and the limitation imposed by the demographics of the study population, which is predominantly composed of black patients receiving treatment at inner city hospitals.     

Effects of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists on bombesin-induced behaviors

Central administration of bombesin elicits excessive grooming and locomotor activity in rats. This grooming activity is one characterised by vigorous scratching of the face, nape and body flanks. Pretreatment with the D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 inhibited the expression of bombesin-induced activity with grooming being more inhibited than locomotion. Blockade of D2 receptors with eticlopride significantly attenuated the behavioral responses to bombesin. When SCH 23390 and eticlopride were administered concurrently, it was apparent that D1 blockade had a greater effect on grooming and D2 blockade a larger effect on locomotion. Stimulation of D1 receptors by SKF 38393 elicited non-stereotyped locomotor activity and a form of grooming behavior characterised by vigorous washing of the face and ventral body surfaces. Co-administration of bombesin and SKF 38393 resulted in a form of grooming which resembled that elicited by SKF 38393 alone. The specific D2 agonist PPHT elicited a form of locomotion characterised by a downward oriented head posture and slow ambulatory activity around the cage perimeter. Co-administration of PPHT and bombesin resulted in a complete suppression of bombesin-induced behaviors and was largely indistinguishable from activity observed under PPHT alone conditions. These data implicate both D1 and D2 receptor based mechanisms in the modulation/mediation of the behavioral effects of bombesin. Part of the bombesin-induced behavioral effects may be explained by (indirect) activation of (a) dopamine system(s).     

Serotonin and norepinephrine in the spinal cord of man

The content of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and norepinephrine (NE) was analysed in 71 human spinal cords obtained post-mortem. The highest content of 5-HT, 5-HIAA and NE was found in the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord. 5-HT and 5-HIAA content increased from fetal to adult spinal cord whereas the content of NE decreased. Characteristic segmental distribution of measured monoamines was present in adult spinal cord only. In two patients spinal cord lesion led to the reduction in spinal cord content of 5-HT, 5-HIAA and NE and loss of characteristic segmental distribution of these substances. These results are in general agreement with observations on spinal cord of different animal species.